Hampton Beach visionary Fred Schaake Sr. dies

Tuesday

Mar 25, 2014 at 2:00 AM

HAMPTON — Fred Schaake Sr. is known for doing a multitude of things for Hampton Beach and the surrounding community, although it is the one thing that he never did — and emphatically refused to do — for which he is likely most famous.

Kyle Stucker

HAMPTON — Fred Schaake Sr. is known for doing a multitude of things for Hampton Beach and the surrounding community, although it is the one thing that he never did — and emphatically refused to do — for which he is likely most famous.

When Schaake, who died Friday at age 90, and a group of investors purchased the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom and the surrounding complex in 1976, he didn't cave in to those trying to tear everything down to make room for sprawling condominium structures.

Instead, Schaake, drawing from some of the memories of his first job at a soda fountain in the complex, is credited with recognizing the important leading role the historic music venue and tourist attraction could play in the future growth of Hampton Beach.

Doc Noel, president of the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce, said he has "a tremendous amount of respect" for Schaake for making the decision to rescue and revitalize the complex when he could have made a quick buck off one of the most desirable and valuable plots of land in the area.

"He stated to me, 'It's the industry of the area,'" said Noel, who had a close friendship with Schaake for roughly 40 years. "Condominiums aren't tourism. He kept it as a tourist attraction ... It's the center of the universe as far as Hampton Beach is concerned. He could've just put up those condos and walked away, but he didn't. He invested in the community of Hampton because of his love of Hampton."

Early childhood vacations at Hampton Beach stoked a passion for the area in Schaake, born Feb. 1, 1924, in Lawrence, Mass. Schaake moved to Hampton after serving in the Army in World War II, starting a family and beginning series of residential and commercial redevelopments in the 1950s and 1960s that helped turn Hampton and Seabrook into popular tourist destinations and strong economic assets for the local community and the state as a whole.

Schaake, who is also known for his involvement in numerous charitable endeavors and causes, was "very inspiring" to John Nyhan, chairman of the Hampton Beach Area Commission. Nyhan said Schaake was one of the individuals he sought out when he started with the HBAC, and that Schaake's "love for this community" and dedication to "put his money where his mouth was" to share that love with others served as a blueprint for how to advance and grow the area.

"If it wasn't for people like Fred, we wouldn't be able to have a foundation to work from," Nyhan said.

Schaake has received numerous honors for his work, including this year's Lifetime Achievement award from the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce. He was also named the grand marshal of the annual Hampton Christmas Parade in 2011.

He, along with partners Sam Waterhouse, Paul and Norman Grandmaison, James Goodwin Sr. and James Goodwin Jr., were also responsible for the Casino Cascade Waterslide, as well as the first seasonal McDonald's restaurant in the United States.

John Grandmaison, who worked closely with Schaake and held a 25 percent stake of the Casino Ballroom until majority ownership was sold to Sal Lupoli of Sal's Pizza in 2012, said Schaake "had a vision" that the beach could be an "entertainment center" and a "great place for people to come."

Grandmaison and Noel both said Schaake was "very personable" and "quick witted," and that he also brought a "very honest" approach to his commitment to the area. Grandmaison attributes the success and "continuity" of the Casino Ballroom to Schaake, and he said Hampton Beach "has a future" thanks to the countless hours Schaake gave to the area.

"He was very into the social fabric of the beach and the town," said Grandmaison, who added that Schaake endeared himself to others through all of the "little things" that he did. "The beach will miss him. He was obviously a longtime advocate of the Hampton area. In that sense, he will be missed."

Throughout his life, Schaake could often be seen out and about in the community and at the annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival.

Nyhan said he'll "never forget" a recent Seafood Festival moment when he came up to Schaake as Schaake made his way down Ocean Boulevard in a motorized wheelchair. Nyhan asked Schaake if he liked the state's redevelopment of the Seashell Stage and state park bathhouses, and Schaake replied, "Young man, we have a lot of work to do, but keep up the good work."

Nyhan said that showed him that Schaake still took passion in helping guide Hampton Beach toward a brighter future, as well as the fact that one of the area's "founding fathers" wanted to continue to instill some of that passion in others.

"To this day, I picture him riding his motor wheelchair up and down Ocean Boulevard," Nyhan said. "He loved to be outside. He loved to be interacting with people.

"I think everyone in the community recognizes that we lost a major pillar of our community. ... He'll be greatly missed."

Visiting hours for Schaake will be from noon to 3 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 28, at Remick and Gendron Funeral Home at 811 Lafayette Road in Hampton. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at St. Theresa Church at 820 Central Road in Rye. Burial will be in High Street Cemetery in Hampton.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Friends of the Hampton Mounted Patrol, c/o Hampton Police Department, 100 Brown Ave., Hampton, NH 03842.

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